Saturday, 23 September 2017

A TRAINEE teacher at the United College of Education (UCE) in Bulawayo has been arrested on allegations of fondling a 12-year-old pupil’s breasts and buttocks in a classroom.

Lovemore Tshuma (45) of Nyamandlovu pleaded not guilty to indecent assault when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Sithembiso Ncube on Wednesday. He was remanded to October 4 on $50 bail.

The court was told that on June 29 this year at 7am, the girl was in her class at a school in Nyamandlovu, where Tshuma teaches.

Tshuma allegedly asked the complainant to help him with his books.

According to the State, Tshuma then hugged the girl before fondling her breasts and buttocks. The girl removed his hands and went outside the classroom.

The girl told her friend about the abuse, who then reported the matter to their class teacher, a Rufu. The matter was reported to the police leading to Tshuma’s arrest.

In his defence, Tshuma said he called the girl to his classroom to assist him underline some books and denied hugging her or fondling her breasts and buttocks.

He told the court that he only placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder while he was instructing her on how he wanted the books underlined.

“The accused is at loss of words and shocked as to why the complainant will level such serious allegations against him.

“Accused, however, suspects that facts of the events that transpired might have been twisted and manufactured by Rufu, who has made such serious but baseless allegations against complainant and his son before,” Tshuma submitted.